Zimmerstutzens are neither fish nor fowl. To firearms collectors, they are considered to be either air- or even non-guns -- things that defy description. To some airgun collectors, they are simply firearms, and no argument about it! Occasionally, you will see a reference to them in a book about something else, but there has never been a book devoted entirely to them. Sometimes, the only information is embedded within the captions of photos and old catalog reproductions. And yet, strangely, many people have both heard of them and know what they are.

This is the second part of my "How to load pellets" series. Yes, there are several tips and things you need to know about loading pellets in pneumatic and CO2 guns. In fact, by improperly loading a pellet -- just that simple act, you can sabotage one of the finest precharged air rifles on the market! I know, because I was there when the whole thing began.

With a title like that, you must think I'm anal enough to want to teach you how to breathe, too. Well, think again. Loading pellets in airguns can easily influence how they shoot; and if you don't know it, you can actually cause some guns to completely malfunction. In this article, I'll tell you exactly what I mean. This is a subject worth understanding, especially if you're new to the world of airguns.

Every now and then, I get asked this question: By repeatedly breaking open a breakbarrel rifle, could that lead to accuracy issues due to possible misalignment of the barrel with the action? There are some customer reviews on this site where shooters have stated that they know their rifle could never attain great accuracy because it's a breakbarrel. We also get similar comments on the blog. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth!

There's a video at the end of this article. Be sure you have your speakers turned on!
In the summer of 2009, Pyramyd Air moved from their space in Bedford Heights, Ohio, to a 22,000-square-foot industrial building they bought in nearby Warrensville Heights. Owning their own building allows them to modify the interior to suit their internet-based wholesale and retail airgun distribution and sales operation.months testing the .177 version.

There are no right or wrong pellets for your airgun. Correct pellet selection is a matter of finding the very best pellet for your airgun. Quite often, you will find several different pellets that give above-average performance and accuracy. The modern lead pellet that we now shoot in our airguns is most often taken for granted. They don't cost much when compared with other projectiles, they're plentiful and widely available, and are amazingly efficient for their size. This was not always the case.

How can a pellet gun out-shoot a refined firearm that has had thousands of dollars worth of customization lavished upon it? The answer lies with the projectile--the thing that differentiates an air rifle from its larger, louder siblings.

You can grab a pistol any old way if all you want to do is hold it while you pull the trigger, but if you want the BANG to mean something, then read this short article, watch the video and follow along.

Sights are an important component of an airgun's accuracy, and there has been a revolution in sighting over the last 20-30 years. Before the 1970s, optical sights on an airgun were rare, just as they were for firearms 10 years earlier. People just didn't trust optics back then, in much the same way new airgunners feel there must be some inherent inaccuracy in breakbarrel rifles today (there isn't). So, let's look at iron sights first and finish with optics.

The first accurate airgun projectile was the dart. The lower-powered airguns of the 16th and 17th centuries used them because they were often the only projectiles those guns could launch at any velocity. According to authors like W.H.B. Smith, the early target airguns were accurate to about 50 feet, and shot placement was controlled by the removal of the hairs in the tail of the dart--one at a time. One dark strand of hair was put into the tail to serve as an alignment reference point.

What is accuracy, and how do we get it?
Accuracy is several things, all of which must be present for results to pay off. For starters, accuracy is consistency--the repeated striking of a shot in the same place. New shooters are sometimes surprised when a veteran is more pleased with a tight group of shots anywhere on the paper than with a random shot through the center of the bullseye. I can always move a tight group by adjusting the sights, but nothing I do can guarantee the repeat of a lucky shot.

Ever heard someone call a flyer? A flyer is a shot that goes wild, but the reason may be known. If a pellet with a bent skirt is knowingly loaded, shot and goes wild...it's a flyer and the shooter knows why. If the defect wasn't seen and the shot goes wild...it's still a flyer.

This is a common problem with first-time owners of breakbarrel guns. In my experience, they always say the barrel closed accidentally until you press them. Then they admit they pulled the trigger with the barrel broken open "to see what would happen."

Want to become more accurate with your spring rifle? Want to equal those unbelieveable groups others seem to get? The secret is in how you hold the rifle, and the name for the proper hold is the "artillery hold."

Little Rock is one of the oldest airgun shows in the country. It attracts some very advanced collectors as well as all the big-bore enthusiasts, so there's a double attraction for most airgunners. If you're looking for rare vintage guns, only Roanoke offers more. If you want big bores, this is the best show around.

This report is for all the new airgunners who have asked for descriptions of airgun powerplants. The ones listed here are found in traditional airguns, which means pellet-firing and steel BB-firing guns. This is not a look at airsoft powerplants, though some of those are virtually the same as some of the ones described here.

(At the end of this article is a video) This subject is confusing for new airgunners because many modern air rifles and a few air pistols are advertised to have velocities they cannot achieve. I've been testing this phenomenon for many years--ever since Gamo brought their 1250 Hurricane to market. That rifle was advertised as achieving 1,250 f.p.s., and the .177-caliber rifle I tested actually reached 1,257 f.p.s. when shooting RWS Hobby pellets.

This article originally appeared in Airgun Illustrated magazine in 2003. It's reprinted here with the permission of the author and has been updated.
Precharged pneumatic (PCP) airguns represent one of the oldest airgun powerplants of all time. They have been around since at least the early 1600s and most likely a bit longer. In the 1780s, the Austrians fielded over 500 riflemen, each armed with a breechloading .47 caliber 21-shot repeating air rifle and the capability to fire at least 42 shots before returning to the rear for more air. This was at a time when repeating firearms were just a glimmer on the technological horizon, and few armies used rifles in any quantity--most used smoothbore muskets.

Now that you know the types, mAH ratings, voltages and technology of airsoft rechargable batteries, it's time to discuss recharging. If a gun comes with a battery and a charger, the owner's manual gives instructions on how to recharge the battery. Pay close attention to those instructions, because the different types of batteries have very different charging requirements.

This is the introduction to a special video I've prepared on scope mounting. I made the video all-inclusive, so no matter what kind of gun on which you're mounting your scope, you'll find the instructions here.

The 2008 California Science & Engineering Fair included an airgun-related entry from Beau Bayless and Trevor Foss, eighth-grade students at All Saints' Episcopal Day School in Carmel. Their entry won first place in the Physics & Astronomy section. In a slightly different format than our usual articles, we present their project.

Airsoft guns have one of three powerplants - spring-piston, gas or automatic electric (abbreviated AEG, for automatic electric gun). An AEG is a spring-piston gun with a small motor that cocks the piston automatically. The gun has select-fire, which means it will fire both semiautomatically (one shot with each pull of the trigger) or fully automatic (gun fires when trigger is pulled and doesn't stop until trigger is released).

One question that comes up a lot is what people actually DO with big bore airguns after they get them. Yes, everyone knows they can be used for hunting big game, but not everyone hunts. Can you do anything else with a big bore air rifle? In early December 2007 , I attended the first Big Bore Long-Range Silhoutte Shoot hosted by the Longrange Airgun Silhouette Shooters' Association (LASSO) and saw what some people do when they aren't hunting--they shoot their rifles at long-range silhouettes!

Scope shift is the No. 1 problem shooters have with scopes. It's also called point-of-impact (POI) shift. There are several reasons for this and none of them are the scope's fault. They're problems that plague mostly new scope users, but they can also crop up when a veteran shooter starts using a scope in a new way. The reasons for scope shift are many, so I'll try to rank them by the commonality of occurrence.

One of the best places to put your hands on airguns is at an airgun show. The U.S. has several shows every year, and it seems like more are starting with each year that passes. One of the old-time veteran shows is held in Little Rock, Arkansas, on the last Friday and Saturday in April.

No shooting sport captivates airgunners as much as field target. Even those who do not compete and have no plans to ever compete still make a large percentage of their choices to purchase based on this sport. They quote specifications and demand equipment that is field-target ready, even if they will never use it for that purpose.

Pyramyd Air attended the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Shot (SHOT Show) in Orlando, Florida, January 9-12. This is one of the principal trade shows at which airguns are shown and sold to dealers and distributors. They were there to look at new products and to meet with their business partners from around the world.

I grew up in Stow, Ohio, just a few miles south of Pyramyd Air's Bedford Heights location. Distance didn't separate us, but time sure did. I moved to California in 1963, and Pyramyd Air didn't get started until the mid-1990s. Without a time machine, there was no way I could have gone.

With the right airguns, it's not only possible to shoot at home, you'll wish you'd started years ago. I'm not talking about your backyard. Some folks have large private backyards that let them shoot without disturbing their neighbors. But many people are squeezed into closer quarters with neighbors who'll call the police if they see someone outside with a gun. However, a home is still a castle, and yours can have a shooting range inside.

The subject of airgun silencers is hotly debated on the airgun forums. There is no agreement about the legality of silencers on airguns in the U.S., and the issue is far more complex than it seems at first.

Do they REALLY work? Welcome to a brand-new kind of airgun article. At the end of this article, there's a short video showing the important points of the article.

You're about to take the plunge and buy your first precharged pneumatic (PCP) air rifle or pistol. Great! Now - how are you going to fill it? Scuba or hand pump? The choice is yours, but do you know everything you need to about the pump?

The airgun projectile we call a BB began in 1886 as common lead shotgun shot, sized BB or 0.180-inch diameter. It was selected for W.F. Markham's revolutionary new spring-piston gun that was made of maple wood and a minimum of metal parts. The probable inventor of the new airgun, George W. Sage, simply chose a commonly available projectile that produced good results in his creation...

We get more questions from customers about scopes than any other single item, including the airguns, themselves. Most of the questions involve scope terminology, which has been addressed in the article All about scopes. Part 1., but the term AO was not covered very well. And many of the better scopes have it, such as Leapers 4x32 Mini A.O. The Bug Buster. They figured if they were going to advertise them that way, someone should explain what AO is and why it matters to you.

Mounting a scope is easy! Four easy steps to scoping an air rifle. In this article we name the parts of scope mounting systems, present standards, and mount a scope, following simple step-by step instructions.

Leapers 5th generation scopes are machined from a SOLID ALUMINUM BILLET! That's right, they chuck up a hunk of aircraft aluminum and carve away everything that doesn't look like a scope. Don't believe it? Look at the pictures...

Muzzle energy is simply the energy of a projectile measured at the moment it exits the muzzle of a gun, which is when it is going fastest. Use our calculator to find out what is the muzzle energy of your gun!

The lowdown on the four most popular airgun calibers, plus a quick look at BBs. There are four popular airgun calibers today - .177, .20 (also called 5mm), .22 and .25. In this article, we will look at each of those four calibers and see what it does best...

There is a controversy concerning the performance of pellets and round lead balls that has been around for more than a decade. The round ball advocates tell us that round lead balls out-penetrate lead pellets by a dramatic margin...

It seems fantastic that an air rifle can launch a pellet faster than 1,200 feet per second (f.p.s.), but some powerful rifles can. However, just because it's possible to do it doesn't mean that it's also desirable...

With the great number of models and powerplants plus the huge price spread in airguns today, picking one specific gun is a challenging task. It's even more difficult for someone new to airgunning who has to learn the technology before making a choice...

AIRGUN REVIEWS

When did shooting in the backyard become so serious? Manufacturers are promising 1200, 1300 and even 1600 fps. Interestingly enough, I don't see any accuracy claims to go along with those velocities. Also, what's with the trend to make everything "composite"? If only there was a quality airgun that was fun and easy to shoot, was accurate and didn't take three weeks of training at the gym to be able to cock it. It would be even better if it was made of wood and steel, like things used to be

The Air Venturi HaleStorm is an interesting new precharged pneumatic repeating rifle in the affordable class. It's attractive, well-finished, accurate and powerful. It also includes some features not found on other rifles in its class. Air Venturi imports this rifle from the Turkish manufacturer Hatsan. It's available in .177 and .22 caliber, and I've spent a couple of months testing the .177 version.

The Walther Lever Action CO2 rifle is a replica of the most successful lever-action rifle every made--Winchester's famous 1894. The rifle that made the 30/30 a household word and the very model that brought the American hunter into the smokeless powder age.

This article originally appeared in Airgun Illustrated magazine in 2003. It's reprinted here with the permission of the author and has been updated. Velocity has always been at the top of the air pistol shooter's wish list, because air pistols have historically been much less powerful than their longarm cousins. While Webley finds it easy to pump out 30 foot-pounds from their Patriot springer, they don't get one-fifth as much from their most powerful air pistol.

There are only a handful of companies that have a more loyal following as the venerable Blue Streak (or Silver Streak), a .20 caliber, multi-pump pneumatic rifle. Scoping this rifle has always been a challenge, but some people do enough hunting that a scoped gun is more useful. That's what drew me to this combo. It has a special intermount that's not only holds the mount and scope firmly in place, but it also raises the scope high enough so you can pump the gun without resorting to odd pumping positions to avoid touching or hitting the scope.

The first thing that I noticed about the Gamo Varmint Hunter is just how similar it is to many other Gamo rifles. It's a reliable, efficient powerplant...and it delivers. How they get 1000 fps out of something that's so easy to cock is beyond me.

Who would buy a monster airgun like the Career Dragon Slayer from Shinsung? Better yet, who would use one? And, what in the world would they use it for? These are all good questions that I hope to answer in this article. Let's begin with me asking you what's the most powerful smallbore air rifle you know of? Some may say it's the AirForce Condor with its 20 shots at 60+ foot-pounds. Others may say it's the AR-6 from Evanix, which develops as much as 75 foot-pounds on the first shot. Both are good answers. But what would you say to an air rifle that develops 190 foot-pounds? Sound crazy? Impossible? Not at all.

I'm a doubting Thomas, to say the least. I must be convinced that something is true before I will display any enthusiasm for it, but in the case of the Air Arms TX200, I was overwhelmed from the start. The Beeman company began pushing TX200s in the U.S. back in the late 1980s. Yes, the rifle has been around that long. Back then, precharged rifles had not quite come into their own in the United States, and certainly not with me.

While veteran American airgunners have paid more attention to the magnum Gamo guns, such as the Hunter 890 and the Hurricane 1250, the general buying public has focused its attention on the smaller rifles. As a matter of fact, the Shadow 1000 is a fancier derivative of the Hunter 220, the best-selling of Gamo's sporting air rifles.

At the end of this article, there's a short video that shows the fast-action fun you'll have with the M190 Special Force pistol by HFC. You'll see how the blowback operates and how accurate the gun can be. Also, you'll see the magazine being filled with green gas. Mac users and most Windows users will find it works just by clicking on the play button. Some Windows users may not be able to see the video until they get a free QuickTime plug-in. Don't forget to turn on your computer's sound!

They call it the "baby Patriot," in reference to Webley's monster 30-foot-pound springer. But, where the Patriot is big, heavy and takes lots of muscle to cock, the Tomahawk is svelte and easy on the arm. Plus, it's a delight to look at!

At the end of this article, there's a short video that shows the fast-action fun you'll have with the Drozd bulk-fill gun. You'll see how the switches determine the rate of fire and the number of rounds per burst.

At the end of this article, there's a short video that shows the fast-action fun you'll have with the Walther CP99 Compact. Not only will you see what the blowback action looks like, you'll get to see the pistol used rapid-fire on a Shoot-N-C target.

When B.B. Pelletier tested Gamo's new CF-X
underlever spring rifle, he created the biggest stir the Pyramyd Air blog
has seen to date. That's saying something, considering this year-old airgun blog's large following. But the
CF-X seems to be a new kind of Gamo rifle with features and quality never seen before from this manufacturer,
so I wondered if all the buzz was deserved.

Crosman launched their new Nightstalker semiautomatic air rifle in November of 2005. This is the first true semiautomatic pellet gun Crosman has made since the model 600 pistol ended production in 1970. There aren't many real semiauto pellet rifles on the market, and the new Nightstalker is the most affordable and practical of the bunch

You want something fast and tactical but you lack $5,000 for a Cobray .380 ACP M11A1, plus you don't want to wait a year for ATF approval. Here's an alternative. For only $137.50 plus shipping, you can have a 6mm version of the gun delivered to your door in a few days. It's heavy and goes rat-a-tat-tat, just like the real thing. Except, this one doesn't cost a small fortune every time you squeeze the trigger...

Rifle scopes are not always as tough and rugged as airgunners need them to be. A question that arises whenever we consider a new scope is, "Can it handle the recoil of my rifle?" Until now, that question has been answered only through experience - sometimes good and other times not. After trying close to 100 different scopes on several hundred different air rifles over the past 10 years, I've learned to hold my opinion of a new scope until it proves itself...

Precharged airguns are wonderful until they have to be filled. If you use a scuba tank to fill your airguns, you need to find a way to fill your scuba tank, too. Manual pumps can also fill precharged pneumatic guns (PCP), but some guns have such large reservoirs that the job becomes laborious. And, you'll never want to fill a scuba tank with a hand pump!